James o



(No Model.)

A J. 0 GLE'PHANE. MATRIX FOR PRINTING SURFACES.

No. 311,411; Patented,Jan.Z7,1885.

llnirrien Sterne ATIENT Orrrcie.

JAMES O. OLEIPHANE, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGN OR TO THE NATIONAL TYPOGRAPHIG COMPANY, OF VEST VIRGINIA.

iVlATRlX FOR PRINTlNG- -SURFACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,411, dated January 27, 1885.

Application filed July 26, 1883. Renewed November 12, 1884. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES O. CLEPHANE, of \Vashington, District of Columbia, have in- .vented certain Improvements in Matrices for Producing PrintingSurfaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements connected with that method of producing stereotype -plates or printing-surfaces in relief [0 which consists in indenting types or dies representing the desired letters or characters successively into a material from which the cast is subsequently taken;

The invention has reference more particularly to that system in which the casts or printing-surfaces are in the form of bars, each bar bearing on its face a single line of characters,

The aim of the invention is to produce the bars with retreating or depressed edges, in order to prevent the same from accidentally receiving ink and transferring the same to paper at improper points.

In carrying out the system above referred to it has been found that there is a liability in certain cases of the upper surface of the bars, particularly at their edges, approaching so nearly the height of the face of the characters as to receive ink. This difficulty my invention is intended to avoid.

The invention consists, substantially, in a blank matrix strip or sheet for stereotyping purposes grooved or channeled to receive the impression of the type, and with elevated marginal surfaces to receive the casting-frame,

3 5 and in a matrix consisting of a strip or sheet provided with a groove or channel and with letters or characters sunk therein, the 'body portion of said characters being withinthe groove, and the remaining portion extended o beyond the same into the margin of the strip. In using this strip or sheet the dies or type, being impressed in the central grooved or depressed portion, form therein a depression suitable to receive the type metal or other material and to produce upon the cast raised characters. The raised edges of the strip adjacent to the groove serve to limit the eleva tion or height of the edges of the cast bar, so'

that the characters will stand out boldly in relief above said edges.

ployed for the purpose.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my matrix strip or blank in one form. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same in another form. Fig. 3 is a View of a portion of a type-wheel such as may be employed to produce the in dentations or characters in the matrix-strip. Fig. 4 is a faceview of the strip. Fig. 5 is a crosssection illustrating the manner in which the cast is made from the indented strip. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the form of the type-bar or printing-surface.

v Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a blank matrixstrip composed of paper, soft metal, celluloid, or other suitable material,into which the type or dies may be impressed. The strip is constructed with a flat surface upon the back, but with a longitudinal groove or depression, B, in the forward surface, the de pression being made ordinarily of a width substantially equal to the width of the bodies of the type on their ends or faces. This blank strip is constructed, it will be seen, with thickened edges and with the groove or depression in the center only, being, in other words, a I

solid strip..

Fig. 2 represents a blank strip formed by bending a thin sheet into such shape as to produce a longitudinal groove or channel in the center similar to that represented in Fig. 1. In making use of this blank the letters or characters are impressed in the central channel by means of raised types or dies formed on the periphery of a type-wheel, as represented in Fig. 3, or otherwise, the construction of the 8 5 type and ot' the machine by which they are operated constituting no part of the present invention. Any suitable machine, several of which are now known in the art, may be em- The channel being, as before stated, of suitable width to receive the body portion only of the type, suchlowercase typeas y, g, d, and 1 will have their eX- tcnded ends or tails embedded in the blankstrip beyond or outside of the central chan- 5 nel, as represented in Fig. 4. The strip or sheet, being properlyindented, is placed in or below a suitable mold and molten or plastic material or other suitable material to produce a printing-surface applied in such manner as too to enter the indentations or impressions. result will be the production of a printingsurface having thereon raised letters or characters, and having its edges above and below the characters depressed or beveled, as shown in Fig. 6, so that in use inkappliedin the ordinary manner will be received upon the faces of the characters only. It will be noted that the elevated edges of the blank are extended in fiat form a considerable distance on each side of the groove or channel, these edges being adapted to receive and support the under surface of the mold or casting frame when it is in the desired position thereon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. As a new product, a blank matrix strip or sheetfor stereotyping purposes, grooved or 7 The channeled to receive the impression of the type, with elevated marginal surfaces to receive the mold or casting-frame.

2. As a new article ofmanufacture, ablank matrix of paper or equivalent material, provided with a longitudinal groove or channel of relatively narrow width adapted to receive the impressions of the type therein.

' 3. The matrix consisting of a strip or sheet provided with a groove or channel and with letters or characters sunk therein, the body portions of said characters being within the groove and the remaining portions extended beyond the same into the margin of the strip.

J AS. 0. GLEPHANE. Witnesses:

ALBERT HARPER, A. S. WORTHINGTON. 

